7 Electric Cars With Surprising Sales in 2014

[GHook93]

7 Electric Vehicles With Surprising Sales in 2014

The lineup:
(1) Chevy Volt - People seems to rail against this car for some reason. Yet I rarely go a day without seeing a Volt on the road. Yes it looks like a malibu, but runs it can run entirely on a battery and is fueling the revolution.
(2) Nissan Leaf - Not a shocker.
(3) Porsche Panamera S - Haven't heard of it, but it looks cool.
(4) Tesla Model S - I finally saw one on the road. It was on the highway. That car flies and is damn cool looking.
(5) Cadillac ELR
(6) Mitsubshi Imiev
(7) Ford Fusion Energi - Looks cooler than the Volt, I would take it over the Volt.

Does this first gen have issues. Absolutely. Much in the same way the first cell phones had issues, ESP with price. Are gas powered cars a better bang for your buck? Yes, much in the way a type-writer was a better deal with less headaches than the first PC. HOWEVER, is the technology sound? Absolutely. Will the second gen show improvement that will tip the scales in the electric cars favor vs the gas car? Without a doubt!!! Will the perfect in the third generation start the replace of the electric car, much in the way the computer replaced the type-writer and the automobile replaced the horse and buggy? Absolutely this advancement is the wave of the future!

 

[Katzndogz]

I have. seen one Volt on the road. It can run entirely on electricity but can shift over to gas when discharged. That is like the Ford CAN Energi. I have see one Nissan Leaf which has no gas backup. Not surprising that I saw it waiting for a tow when it ran out of charge. It can only go 40 miles, tops

 

[GHook93]

I have. seen one Volt on the road. It can run entirely on electricity but can shift over to gas when discharged. That is like the Ford CAN Energi. I have see one Nissan Leaf which has no gas backup. Not surprising that I saw it waiting for a tow when it ran out of charge. It can only go 40 miles, tops

You can root against the electric car if you want Katz, but I see promise in the technology. The A-Rabs, Socialist Paradises (Venezuela, Brazil, Norway and Finland) and Russia. It wold be a economic nuclear bomb against these countries!

I for one want to see the day the West stops having to kiss the asses of these shithole countries!

 

[RGR]

Does this first gen have issues. Absolutely. Much in the same way the first cell phones had issues, ESP with price.

No first gen issues here. And while the price of any new technology is higher, as noted, some people just MUST be in the forefront! They need to say..."when the day came that EVs began, I WAS THERE BABY!!!!"

Are gas powered cars a better bang for your buck? Yes, much in the way a type-writer was a better deal with less headaches than the first PC.

Instead of bang for buck, how about we talk about VALUE!! What is the VALUE of motoring past the extortion stations laid out on every corner to take advantage of the hard won dollars of the American citizen? The value is PRICELESS!!

Absolutely this advancement is the wave of the future!

Advancement is always the wave of the future, but don't forget, no matter how involved you and I are in making that future happen, WE don't get credit for it. WE the American citizen didn't make it happen, so sirree bob, it only happened because a government worker bee made it possible, Al Gore the Internet, Obama the invention of horizontal wells, etc etc.

 

[Anathema]

I see quite a few electric/hybrid cars on the road. At this time I would not purchase one. There are times when I drive in excess of 300 miles in a day. These cars do not have anything near that range with the electric motor. I live in a condominium, so unless I can run an extension cord the 80 feet or so from my door to my parking space, I have no way to charge it. Most of the time that I'm driving those 300 miles in the course of a day, it's on a trip where I need to haul a whole bunch of stuff, and most of these cars do not have the cargo space of even a station wagon, nevermind a SUV.

Let me know when these vehicles are capable of driving a reasonable (250+ mile) disatnace on the electric charge, when they've figured out how to provide the electricity to charge the motor reasonably, and made them large enough to haul all my gear. OH, and made it the same or lower price than the equivelantly sized and capable gas powered vehicle. THEN I'll consider an electric/hybrid car.

 

[RGR]

I have. seen one Volt on the road.

There are 3 dropping off kids at my sons middle school. On one side of the school, for all I know the drop off zone on the other has another 3. And lately the visibility of the Leaf is much higher as well. For a while there you didn't see many, now they seem to be gaining strength in sales.

It can run entirely on electricity but can shift over to gas when discharged. That is like the Ford CAN Energi. I have see one Nissan Leaf which has no gas backup. Not surprising that I saw it waiting for a tow when it ran out of charge. It can only go 40 miles, tops

Our neighbor the next street over runs his 80 miles about every other day. May I recommend you talk to an owner or two before pretending that the exception is the rule?

 

[RGR]

There are times when I drive in excess of 300 miles in a day. These cars do not have anything near that range with the electric motor.

Each tool has a use. EVs aren't for cross state commuting or some of that crazy stuff that Californians do, driving till they qualify for a mortgage. You would no more want to use your F350 in inner city traffic and try and jam it into a parking garage with 6' clearance.

EVs are great for folks with a garage, the 75% of the American commuting public that doesn't commute or travel more than 40 miles in a day.

I live in a condominium, so unless I can run an extension cord the 80 feet or so from my door to my parking space, I have no way to charge it. Most of the time that I'm driving those 300 miles in the course of a day, it's on a trip where I need to haul a whole bunch of stuff, and most of these cars do not have the cargo space of even a station wagon, nevermind a SUV.

And I have a garage and no need to haul horses back and forth across the state. So that F350 just isn't necessary. But EVs ROCK for local commuting, kids to school, grocery store, trips downtown, all the normal activity not related to driving across the country.

Which I do as well, and therefore use a fuel efficient all gas econobox. Still waiting for that Mazda6 diesel to come out so I can really become road trip efficient.

THEN I'll consider an electric/hybrid car.

Don't consider one at all. Sounds like you are trying to claim that because you need a plane, a car will never do. Thats okay, but I don't get to pretend planes don't come in handy, or you cars. Just different tools for different folks. I hate coughing up OpEx at the extortion stores for them to hand out overseas, some people don't mind doing this with their hard earned money.

 

[TheOldSchool]

I just bought a Wrangler but when I finally stop kidding myself and buy a real grown up car I'll be looking for some kind of hybrid.

 

[Anathema]

Each tool has a use. EVs aren't for cross state commuting or some of that crazy stuff that Californians do, driving till they qualify for a mortgage. You would no more want to use your F350 in inner city traffic and try and jam it into a parking garage with 6' clearance.

I don't drive an F150. I drive a Chevrolet HHR. It's got about 90% of the cargo capacity of my former Jeep Grand Cherokee and somewhat better gas mileage. I go out of my way not to drive into major metropolitan areas to begin with, no matter what I'm driving.

EVs are great for folks with a garage, the 75% of the American commuting public that doesn't commute or travel more than 40 miles in a day.

I drive about 45 miles a day on work days. On weekends it's often in excess of 80-100 miles a day many times doing errands and other trips.

And I have a garage and no need to haul horses back and forth across the state. So that F350 just isn't necessary. But EVs ROCK for local commuting, kids to school, grocery store, trips downtown, all the normal activity not related to driving across the country.

I'm not hauling horses anywhere. However, I am hauling camping gear, firearms range equipment, and things like that. Stuff that fits quite nicely into my pseudo-station wagon HHR but which is not going to fit into the phonebooths that most of these EVs are. Which brings up another point.... The safety of the micro-cars that many of these EVs seem to be. The NHTSB can say whatever they want, but I just can't see how these things, with their reduced weight and complicated engines aren't a bigger risk in an accident, either from a safety or a repair cost aspect.

Which I do as well, and therefore use a fuel efficient all gas econobox. Still waiting for that Mazda6 diesel to come out so I can really become road trip efficient.

So you have TWO cars? I can't speak for anyone else, but I can't afford two cars for myself. Must be nice having one car for daily use and then another you can just keep off to the side for longer trips.

Don't consider one at all. Sounds like you are trying to claim that because you need a plane, a car will never do. Thats okay, but I don't get to pretend planes don't come in handy, or you cars. Just different tools for different folks. I hate coughing up OpEx at the extortion stores for them to hand out overseas, some people don't mind doing this with their hard earned money.

I don't need a plane, but I cannot live with a phonebooth for a motor vehicle. I need a single vehicle that is going to meet all of my needs to a reasonable degree. Multiple vehicles is not an option for me. Who knows what the automotive marketplace will look like in another 5 or 6 years when I will probably need to replace my current vehicle; but I would be very surprised to find myself even considering an EV or a hybrid.

 

[GHook93]

Each tool has a use. EVs aren't for cross state commuting or some of that crazy stuff that Californians do, driving till they qualify for a mortgage. You would no more want to use your F350 in inner city traffic and try and jam it into a parking garage with 6' clearance.

I don't drive an F150. I drive a Chevrolet HHR. It's got about 90% of the cargo capacity of my former Jeep Grand Cherokee and somewhat better gas mileage. I go out of my way not to drive into major metropolitan areas to begin with, no matter what I'm driving.

EVs are great for folks with a garage, the 75% of the American commuting public that doesn't commute or travel more than 40 miles in a day.

I drive about 45 miles a day on work days. On weekends it's often in excess of 80-100 miles a day many times doing errands and other trips.



I'm not hauling horses anywhere. However, I am hauling camping gear, firearms range equipment, and things like that. Stuff that fits quite nicely into my pseudo-station wagon HHR but which is not going to fit into the phonebooths that most of these EVs are. Which brings up another point.... The safety of the micro-cars that many of these EVs seem to be. The NHTSB can say whatever they want, but I just can't see how these things, with their reduced weight and complicated engines aren't a bigger risk in an accident, either from a safety or a repair cost aspect.

Which I do as well, and therefore use a fuel efficient all gas econobox. Still waiting for that Mazda6 diesel to come out so I can really become road trip efficient.

So you have TWO cars? I can't speak for anyone else, but I can't afford two cars for myself. Must be nice having one car for daily use and then another you can just keep off to the side for longer trips.

Don't consider one at all. Sounds like you are trying to claim that because you need a plane, a car will never do. Thats okay, but I don't get to pretend planes don't come in handy, or you cars. Just different tools for different folks. I hate coughing up OpEx at the extortion stores for them to hand out overseas, some people don't mind doing this with their hard earned money.

I don't need a plane, but I cannot live with a phonebooth for a motor vehicle. I need a single vehicle that is going to meet all of my needs to a reasonable degree. Multiple vehicles is not an option for me. Who knows what the automotive marketplace will look like in another 5 or 6 years when I will probably need to replace my current vehicle; but I would be very surprised to find myself even considering an EV or a hybrid.

First gen isn't for everyone. I don't have an electric car. I drive too much to make it work. I have never been an early adopter. I will probably be an owner in the 2nd gen though. I doubt in the 3rd gen you will have a choice buy electric new or buy gas used (which no doubt a nice carbon emission tax that shoot gas cost through the roof)!

 

[Anathema]

First gen isn't for everyone. I don't have an electric car. I drive too much to make it work. I have never been an early adopter. I will probably be an owner in the 2nd gen though. I doubt in the 3rd gen you will have a choice buy electric new or buy gas used (which no doubt a nice carbon emission tax that shoot gas cost through the roof)!

If we get to the point where I can no longer buy a gas vehicle without being "punished" for it, and none of the EV/Hybrids meet my needs, you're looking at the newest member of the "taker" society. 99 weeks of unemployment, then welfare. See how society like those apples.

 

[RGR]

I just bought a Wrangler but when I finally stop kidding myself and buy a real grown up car I'll be looking for some kind of hybrid.

Nothing wrong with Wranglers, particular for those near the Colorado mountains.

 

[RGR]

Which I do as well, and therefore use a fuel efficient all gas econobox. Still waiting for that Mazda6 diesel to come out so I can really become road trip efficient.

So you have TWO cars? I can't speak for anyone else, but I can't afford two cars for myself. Must be nice having one car for daily use and then another you can just keep off to the side for longer trips.

Three cars. Couple of other motorized 2 wheelers and such. But I've got multiple drivers in the family with more coming of age soon.

My lifestyle would have to be pretty limited for an EV to be the only vehicle in the family. I could make it work, I know people who do such a thing, and then rent cars for family trips and whatnot. That would irritate me, so I keep a couple cars around for various uses. I don't even use them as much as the wife and kids, I'm much more of a 2 wheeler guy.

I don't need a plane, but I cannot live with a phonebooth for a motor vehicle. I need a single vehicle that is going to meet all of my needs to a reasonable degree. Multiple vehicles is not an option for me. Who knows what the automotive marketplace will look like in another 5 or 6 years when I will probably need to replace my current vehicle; but I would be very surprised to find myself even considering an EV or a hybrid.

Oh, I've had hybrids that appear to meet most of your criteria. I had a 2007 Escape hybrid, AWD, carried a fair amount of crap, family trips, took it into Monument Valley and played on dirt roads, it did quite well as an only vehicle, excellent in the snow, and could return better than 30mpg on the highway or in town.

Miss that one a little.